New Orleans Saints right tackle Taliese Fuaga suffered a knee sprain during a practice session on Thursday and is currently being evaluated, “per Nick Underhill for NewOrleans.Football”.
Underhill notes that the initial expectation is that Fuaga avoided a significant injury, though “further evaluation will determine” the true severity of the issue.
The offensive lineman was listed as a limited participant on the team’s updated injury report following the practice session on Thursday.
If Fuaga is unable to take the field this Sunday for the matchup against the “Carolina Panthers”, Asim Richards is expected to step in and fill the right tackle position.
Richards recently spent more than a month playing left tackle to cover for the injured starter Kelvin Banks Jr., but the coaching staff values his versatility to line up on either side of the line.
The potential injury adds to a challenging stretch for Fuaga over the past year and a half.
His performance has seen regression after returning to his college position on the right side under the guidance of head coach Kellen Moore and offensive line coach Brendan Nugent.
Along with the on-field regression, he has also picked up multiple different injuries during this span.
This physical setback represents just the latest hurdle for the young professional in what has developed into a concerning career trajectory.